What is Our Battle?

By Cal Cook

The O.T. Reading is from 1 Kings 19:4-8 where Elijah had just been a participant in this amazing miracle of God. Having defeated 450 prophets of Baal by calling down fire from Heaven and then slaying them all with a sword…and yet Jezebel scares him? He runs and hides when he hears that she is after him…saying to God: “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” 1 Kings 19:4b

How can he go from this mighty man of God, to this cowering shell of a man so quickly? I guess the same way we can go from: good, helpful, encouraging…kind, tenderhearted and forgiving, to lying thieving, bitter, angry, slanderers (Ephesians 4:25-32) at the drop of a hat! Our battle isn’t with the prophets of Baal or the prophets of Oprah…For

we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 They love nothing more than when we become bitter and angry…or beaten down and weak. For then we are susceptible to their ploys…their temptations, their schemes to draw us in.